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In this video, I share 20 Arm workouts that will help your arms stay strong and toned. You can do those workouts ANYTIME and ANYWHERE.– NO EQUIPMENT NEEDED – NO GYM NEEDED
All you need is your energy and some space.

How can you put those workouts into use?Pick 5 of the workouts, repeat each move 10-15 time, then do 3 sets of all.

WORKOUT CLOTHES DETAILS:

Sports Hijab:
– Hooda Ellips Sports Hijab in Black
– Hooda Hijab for Dry and wet use with Zipper in Beige
– Raazglove in Grey
(I like to keep my sports hijabs under my clothes. This is just my preference)

Today, Malaysia’s premier distance running event implements ballot system for public registrations due to tremendous response and the Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was given the honour to activate the random computerised ballot selection process whereby ballot winners were picked and immediately notified of their selection.

Check your ballot status at https://www.kl-marathon.com/

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon has seen phenomenal growth over the last decade with the 10th Anniversary edition in 2018 seeing the highest attendance to date of over 38,000 participants. Public registrations for the 2018 event were snapped up within 10 hours of opening, leaving a lot of disgruntled runners who didn’t get a chance to register due to a variety of reasons, such as network congestion and poor internet connections.

This year saw a significant increase in loyalty registrations, where returning 2018 runners were given the privilege of signing up and securing their slot before registrations opened to the general public. Almost two thirds of the available slots were snapped up during this period leaving slightly over 12,000 slots across all categories remaining for public registrations. Hence, the ballot system was introduced this year to give everyone an equal opportunity to secure a race slot as potential participants could cast their ballot between 13 to 19 February 2019.

“We introduced loyalty registrations in 2016 as a way of giving back to the running community who have strongly supported us, and continued to implement this in the following years” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of SCKLM and Director of Dirigo Events, the owners and organisers of the multi-award winning event. “Since then, the take-up during the loyalty registrations consistently yielded about 40-45% of overall slots available. This year we were caught by surprise when the loyalty registration period saw more than 60% of available slots snapped up, which is why we have had to implement balloting for public registrations” added Rainer. “This way, everyone gets an equal chance to secure a race entry and will not be hindered by network or work issues.” Rainer also mentioned that moving forward, the balloting process would most probably be implemented right from the loyalty registration period.

“It’s certainly a privilege to be involved with the premier distance running event in Malaysia. I have truly been inspired by the hard work undertaken by SCKLM to develop the sport of distance running by consistently putting on a world class event that attracts more than 38,000 participants from Malaysia and around the world,” said Syed Saddiq. “While the competitive aspect of SCKLM has provided talented Malaysian runners like Leo Tan and Muhaizar Mohamad with the platform to perform alongside elite international runners and raise their game, the heart-warming aspect of SCKLM is the commitment placed on making a difference through the Run For A Reason charity initiative,” added Syed Saddiq. “In fact I have decided to accept Dirigo Events invitation to participate in the Half Marathon for SCKLM2019 and if my preparations go well, I hope to do something to be able to give back to the running community too.”

The 2019 edition of SCKLM was given a boost late last year when Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia renewed their title sponsorship of the event for a further four (4) years. The Bank has been a steadfast supporter of the event since its inception in 2009 and is a major factor behind its success.

“We are delighted to resume our title sponsorship of the KL Marathon. The past 10 years of our sponsorship has shown us the amazing power this event has to bring people from all walks of life together to do extraordinary things. SCKLM has grown from strength to strength and is now one of the most sought after events in Malaysia and the region,” said Abrar A. Anwar, Managing Director and CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia. “This year marks yet another milestone with the ballot system introduced for public registrations,” added Abrar.

Charity programme Run For A Reason (RFAR) has been an integral component of SCKLM which has benefited and improved the lives of thousands of Malaysians over the last 10 years. Last year, the programme raised RM500,000, with individual runner raising more than RM17,000 and Rainer hopes the amount increases this year. For 2019, the charity beneficiaries are the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Hospis Malaysia and Dignity For Children Foundation.

I first embarked on my Spartan Race in Nov 2015 at its inaugural race in Singapore. I was hooked the first time. I love running but after a few marathons i got a bit bored and was seeking a more challenging race to keep me motivated and on my toes. Spartan Race was a dream come true. I have participated in 12 Spartan races since then, held in Singapore and Malaysia. I hope to be able to take part in more Spartan races overseas to experience the different terrains and weather. I ran alone for all the races except the last Super (Oct 2018) and the latest, first ever Stadion Race in Asia last January 2019. Crossing the finishing line was fulfilling i thought, but crossing the line with 22 others (first time Spartans) brought “fulfilling” to a whole new level. We trained together for about 4 months and they started with much fears and concerns. I met so many others who desired to participated but fear kept them at bay. These 22 faced theirs fears and fought through their personal demons to achieve something they never thought they could.

We are STRONG alone but TOGETHER, we are STRONGER!

Alhamdulillah.. No women left behind. Look at our muddy attire!

WHAT IS SPARTAN RACE?
(Taken from Spartan Website)

Three Main Race Types

Sprint 3 mi / 5 km, 20 Obstacles
The Spartan Sprint puts endurance aside and tests your quickness through 5 km loaded with 20 Obstacles. A great starter distance for beginners, or a perfect test against time for the more advanced racer.

Super 8 mi / 13 km, 25 Obstacles
The Spartan Super is as much mental as it is physical, spanning over 13 km that are just as unforgiving as the 25 Obstacles that litter the distance.

Beast 13 mi / 21 km, 30 Obstacles
The Spartan Beast is just plain hard. This is the longest and most difficult race out of our three main race types and is aptly named for its brutal 21 km circuit with 30 Obstacles that try to keep you from your finish line.

Holistic Challenge. As per most OCR (Obstacles Course Races) , the race not only requires one to be able to run. It demands a total full-body commitment, from strength to agility, balance, skills, endurance, ruggedness and mental resilience. The abilities to overcome the obstacles stretches you beyond your comfort zone. One needs to not only run the distance but, climb over walls, crawl through mud and tunnels, swim across waters, beat lateral walls, carry weights over undulating terrains, throw spear, hang, swing, roll, jump… you name it, they have it. What it means is that one has to train nearly every muscle in the body!

Test One’s Limit. The race is a true test of one’s limit. The different obstacles, undulating terrain, surprise elements, the harshness of the outdoors and the weather forces you to perform at your best and then some. Going through the training and completing the race will make one humbled yet confident to be able to overcome any hurdle life may cast upon you in syaa Allah. Like life itself, every obstacle represents the challenges we face in our daily life.We all know how one gets stronger ONLY through difficulty. It’s a test of physical strength, mental resilience and GUTS.

Camaraderie Forged. The race is like a battle and the racers like soldiers. Even when running alone, i never felt lonely. The positive spirit of each Spartan is so infectious, the stranger next to you will not leave you to in the ditch. A hand is always ready to pull you up the wall or through the mud. A battlefield where no one gets left behind. Going through the race as a team, the camaraderie forged as we overcome the obstacles together is beyond words. At the last Spartan ULTRA at Iskandar Putri, i jumped through the fire hand in hand with new found friends from Taiwan, Indonesia and Philippines with our own story to remember for the rest of our lives.

Their first Spartan Race! 13km 25 Obstacles. The most senior in our team was Cik Sumarne 59 years old (most right). Check out her smile!

Olympus – The rain poured just as we crossed the Start Line and continued to bless us with coolness and mud! Yeaaay

Spear Throw

Crossing water obstacle at Sentosa Beach.

Final Obstacle – Fire Jump

Dunking Station

Since you have no excuse, cast aside your fears. Bury the worry and burn away the jitters. Go sign up for a race already. There! First step done… Good job!

4 Steps to Train for Spartan Race

Prepare Well. Plan your training. You don’t want to suffer on course and call it quits. To finish strong, you must plan for every training, endurance, building up strengths and learning skills and techniques to overcome obstacles. You can follow Spartan’s Workout of the Day or subscribe to a training program with them. Read up! there is plenty of resources online to teach and show you how to train up. Look up the different obstacles you need to train for, rope climbing, swing trainer, hurdles, spear throw, etc. Watch the demonstration videos and training tips from the pros. Penalty for every failed obstacle is 30 burpees. The number of burpees you do, depends on your training.

Commit and Be Discipline. Set goals and keep to the plan. Commit yourself to the training and don’t falter. Treat yourself sometimes too after a good workout or once you finish a cycle. Consistency is always best. Push yourself but also rest and recover well.

Make Training fun!Include variety in your training. Train at different places, run a new route, venture new venues. Use different props/equipment while training. Embrace the sweat and soreness and learn to enjoy the training. Remember, its a process, you need to savour the journey to taste the sweetness at the finishing line.

Train Together. Gather your kakis. Having great company while training is always awesome. Join the Spartan Community where they will provide free training or find a community near you who are as enthusiastic as you. Motivate one another during training and help each other to achieve the training goals. Together, you are definitely stronger.

My Spartan Journey – 12 races since 2015

A satisfying finish with the team

The Z Wall

Inverted Wall

Join me at the next race on 02 March 2019 at Semenyih – Spartan Super/Sprint!

Training for a race or simply to keep up with running when you travel is now a breeze. You need to check the weather condition at destinations, and find fitness center or running routes close to your accommodation. Sometimes, you may not get much info about safety of the running routes, so you may want to find out more upon arrival.

Here’s an example of a traveler outfit and running routes in Hong Kong when the weather is misty and cool at a temperature of 17-21 degrees in Celsius.

1. Outfit Ideas for Running Traveler

A. Travel Outfit

I like to travel comfy and light. I do not like to bring too many items as I want to save space and avoid loosing personal belongings. Hence, clothing that is roomy and has secure pockets is my pick!

A couple of ideas:

The top is loose on the head and comfy. Ample pockets on both tops and pants. Always bring an extra light jacket

Two side zipper pockets are useful. One to keep passport & boarding ticket and another for mobile phone.

B. Running Outfit

For climate above 20 ° Celsius or 68 ° Fahrenheit, you can wear your thin to medium lightweight and breathable sportswear. They do not need to be thick. For weather below 20 degrees, you need to wear thicker breathable fabric. Do bring a hand towel like the Raazglove to wipe your nose when you run in colder weather.

Above 20°C Running Outfit. Lightweight

2. Running Routes

There are many running and trail routes in Hong Kong. Here’s a sharing for a 9 km route in Kowloon District.

Exploring Kowloon Park in 2 loops of 2.2 km each

4.5 km running route Tsim Tsa Tsui Promenade

A. Kowloon Park
It is a sanctuary for recreationist and birds. There are pockets of open spaces, bird sanctuary, water fountains, lookout hill, rose garden, outdoor swimming pool and outdoor gyms in the park, surrounded by approximately 2.5 km walking path. You can take the MRT train to Tsim Sha Tsui and exit to Kowloon Park or Kowloon Mosque. The park is right behind the mosque. You can make two loops around the Kowloon Park exploring different paths and section of it. If you like birds, you can checkout the bird sanctuary and the flamingo pond. What I like about the park is that there are a few elevations, one of which leads to the lookout hill, and the flora and fauna are oh so gorgeous.

The view of Kowloon District from Lookout Hill

Maze Garden

The Bird Sanctuary - Hornbills, Pigeons and many more

Among the old trees

Kowloon Park Flamingos

B. Tsim Sha Tsui & Hung Hom Promenade
Other than the Kowloon Park, you can run at Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade. From Kowloon Park, you need to go back to the closest MRT entrance and find Exit J. Walk for about 300 meters towards exit J. Upon exiting, you will see Salisbury Garden and you can start running east towards Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade.The 2.3 km stretch will take you through the Hung Hom Promenade till the Hung Hom Ferry Pier. You can enjoy the breeze and lovely view of Hong Kong Island and ferries.

Dwarf Hibiscus on Hung Hom Promenade

Star Cruise on Victoria Harbour

The track along Hung Hom Promenade

Salisbury Garden @ Tsim Tsa Tsui

Up on the ramp that connects Tsim Tsa Tsui Promenade and Hung Hom Promenade

Hung Hom Ferry Pier

Hung Hom Promenade

These two routes give you about 9 km mileage. If you want to add more, run further or add another loop. I find running at Kowloon District is safe and convenient. Happy running & traveling!

Nashata collects woman’s activewear and sportswear as one of our efforts to reduce ecological footprint. Nearly 100 percent of clothing are recyclable and we hope to be a part of the efforts to reduce textile to landfill by collecting woman’s activewear and sportswear for secondhand clothing or recycling.

Most sportswear are made of polyester-based fabric, and they can be shredded and then granulated into polyester chips. These chips are then melted and used to create new polyester fabrics.

Join our efforts to reduce ecological footprint. Simply collect your activewear and sportswear and send them to us. Here are some info about the sportswear recycling program.

You can volunteer and collect sportswear in your area too. Just drop us a line at contactus@nashata.com

Why are we doing this?

RecycleWe take-back your sportswear and send them to suitable under-developed or developing countries as second-hand items. This would make sportswear more affordable and accessible to these nations. Items that are not suitable for these markets will be sent to our fabric recycling partners.Through these efforts, we can reduce and avoid pollution and energy-intensive production of new clothing.

ReduceSince inception, Nashata avoid use of plastic and paper as efforts to reduce waste. We email customers about care of products and reuse plastic covers for shipment. We provide packaging of product that can be used for multiple purposes. Our customers use Nashata packaging to store items for travel, camping and races. Our efforts to reduce ecological footprint continues.

Why should you send unwanted sportswear to Nashata?

We make sure these items will be used or recycled.

We reward you by giving 15% voucher for purchases at Nashata.com, valid for 1 year. Please allow 3-5 working days for the team to check items sent and validate contact info provided.

How can you be a part of Sportswear Recycling Program ?

Ship or drop-off sportswear in a bag, labelled with your name, phone number and email address) to Nashata contacts. We need your contact info to send Nashata digital voucher to you.

Be our partner. Provide drop-off point or help collect unwanted sportswear at your area.

Just drop us a line at contactus@nashata.com if interested or if you have questions.

Fabulous news for runners! We can look forward to another four years of wonderful racing experience at the KL Marathon. Dirigo Events and Standard Chartered Malaysia announced a four-year extension to their title sponsorship agreement, taking the biggest run in Malaysia with the Standard Chartered KL Marathon through year 2022. The 2019 edition of the highly anticipated event will take place on 28 and 29 September and is expected to draw over 38,000 participants.

Standard Chartered has been the title sponsor of the event since 2009 and celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the bank’s involvement at this year’s event in April. The Standard Chartered KL Marathon’s (SCKLM) 10th Anniversary saw its biggest participation yet with 38,000 participants competing in 10km, Half and Full Marathon distances, with a 5km Fun Run and 1km and 3km Kids categories. The 10th Anniversary event also saw SCKLM being held over two days for the first time to cater to the growing number of runners, and this will continue in the next edition of the race.

“We are extremely pleased to be extending our association with this wonderful sporting event and delighted that we will be able to continue inspiring Malaysians to lead healthy, productive lives,” said Abrar A. Anwar, Managing Director and CEO of Standard Chartered Malaysia at a signing ceremony held today. “Over the last 10 years, SCKLM has grown to become the premier running event in Malaysia, bringing together participants from every state within the country and from over 70 countries. This is largely due to Dirigo’s excellent organisation of the event and we are happy to resume this successful partnership to take this event to even greater heights,” added Abrar.

The 2019 edition of SCKLM will also see the inclusion of new, as well as returning sponsors. SCKLM welcomes Under Armour and Banana Boat as first-time sponsors of the event. Seiko resumes its long-standing sponsorship while 100 Plus returns as beverage sponsor for the next 4 years.

“We are really happy to have secured our title and major sponsors for the 2019 edition of SCKLM well ahead of the event, which gives us ample time to plan and maximise the sponsorship agenda of our partners,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of SCKLM and Director of Dirigo Events.

No one is too old or too young to climb a mountain. Climbing a mountain can be a good family activity, especially for children. It fosters team-work, patience, agility and persistence.

My family and I climbed Mount Kinabalu for the first time in 2013, comprising my husband and back then, 11 and 13 year old daughters. Mount Kinabalu is Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site, awarded in year 2000. This year, I decided to take my 13 year old son to conquer the mountain. I owed him this adventure as he was left behind in 2013.

Pinnacle Reflection at Mount Kinabalu

It was the monsoon season (Nov – March) and the weather was unpredictable, mostly cloudy and raining in the afternoon. We had a little bit of training, mostly cardiovascular workouts two weeks before the climb. Typically, a party of 5 climbers gets a guide, but after 2015, the park allocates one guide to a party of 3 climbers under 18. Since my two children were 13 and 16 years old respectively, we got two guides; one main and another for my 13 year old, at no additional charges. Do check with your agent about this before confirm booking. I was not aware of this until I reached Kinabalu Park and I took it as a bonus.

Our Guides Oni (second right) and SabarYunus (far right)

We reached Kinabalu Park at 9 am, where we completed some paperwork, got our tags and packed lunch. The climb from Timpohon Gate at Kinabalu Park to Low’s Peak (4,095 meters above sea level) was 9 km. We started the climb at 9:30 am and reached Laban Rata (6km) at 3:30 pm. There were 7 shelters along the way, where we stopped to rest and had lunch. It started to rain heavily after 12:30 pm and we had to walk up steep trails of flowing water in raincoats. We reached Laban Rata, all soaked and wet. However, the waterproof high ankle hiking shoes we had were really helpful to keep our feet dry and warm.

We had a room consisting of 2 double-decker beds. Every climber was given a towel each upon check-in at Laban Rata. There were shared bathrooms for ladies and gents respectively, equipped with solar-powered water heater. So, no sun, no heater *wink*

Buffet dinner was made available from 4:30 pm – 7 pm. We had early dinner and rested after that. We woke up at 1:30 am and got ready for 3 km climb to Low’s Peak. We had sweat-wicking long sleeves top on, with a light-weight insulated jacket over. Based on my first experience, it was important not to over-dressed. You would be sweaty while climbing and needed to stay light and dry. We brought some water, energy gels, extra gloves, sun block and medical kit along and left the rest in our room. Warm supper was served at 2 am and by 2:30 am, we started climbing very steep stairs to the summit. It was cold, windy and slippery along the way. I was at awe looking at the clear night skies with stars, shooting star and constellations visibly bright and clear. Occasionally, I would look up and back to see the skies and the city lighted up from the mountain. It was too beautiful. If you do not have altitude sickness, the walk from 8 km onwards was quite easy. You need to watch-out for icy surfaces and avoid stepping on the rope. Our guide was very helpful to keep the children safe and to move in good pace. We reached Low’s Peak at 5:30 am, just in time for the sunrise and took lovely shots at the summit. The sky was clear and we could see the ocean and Kota Kinabalu city from the summit. The view was surreal.

Low’s Peak Mount Kinabalu

Once the sun was up, I got heated up fast at the peak. If sunny, you may need to start removing unnecessary layer of clothing and put on sunblock and shades. We descended 3 km quickly after and reached Laban Rata for breakfast at 8:30 am. After a short rest, at 10 am, we continued 6 km journey back to Timpohon Gate. It was misty and cloudy and luck was not with us when it started to rain the last 4 km. It was quite challenging to walk downhill in the rain. Even though I took it super slow, I fell down many times, once on my face. My children were fine and moved quickly. We arrived Timpohon Gate at 3:30 pm, picked up the certificates and had lunch at Balsam Restaurant.

Steps from the Peak to Laban Rata

Climbing Mount Kinabalu was gruesome but totally worth it. It was a 9 km walk (9 hours) in total to the peak from Timpohon Gate and 9 km walk (8.5 hours) down – all within 30 hours. My son was happy to be able to experience what he missed 5 years ago.

We had good guides – SabarYunus and Oni (took many pictures of us voluntarily, highly recommended for children, attentive and caring) . We secured our booking through Best Borneo Tours. The budget per person to climb Mount Kinabalu is RM1500/USD400

Many Ice Formation at Mount Kinabalu. Temperature was under zero degrees.

Some Tips

Bring drinking water or purchase at Laban Rata. Avoid drinking spring water along the trail or at Laban Rata if you are not used to drinking it. My family and I suffered from bad water poisoning due to this in 2013.

Take Diamox a day before the climb if you have altitude sickness (ask your doctor before taking any) . My children took 2; a day before the climb and the day of the climb.

Hiking sticks are useful for descend. You can rent for RM10 at Kinabalu Park.

Bring knee and ankle guards. They can be useful for descending

Energy gels and energy bars to keep you motivated and going

Follow the guide’s pace. Avoid stops, just keep moving.

Bring water bottles

Descending Mount Kinabalu with a smile. The experience at the peak is priceless.

Shoes

Waterproof shoes are necessary if you hike during monsoon season. You may be walking through streams of water for hours and need your feet dry.

Must bring gears

Waterproof bag

Headlamp

Raincoat

Charger – Many power points in hostel, but no wifi.

First aid kit

Cold yet Happy Faces

I am grateful for a mission accomplished – all my three kids at age 11 and 13 conquered Mount Kinabalu safely. Climbing Mount Kinabalu is not only about agility and physical endurance, but more importantly – mental strength.

It gets bright and sunny fast after sunrise

I do not think I want to climb Mount Kinabalu again but perhaps some other mountains. If you are thinking of taking your children or teenagers to climb Mount Kinabalu – It is not easy, but Go For It!

“Climb mountains not so the world can see you, but so you can see the world.”

It was sheer luck that I got to ballot as a team with Zamzamiah or better known as Amie for the BMW Berlin Marathon 2018. It was a last minute opportunity and Amie submitted our ballot in November ’17. When I found out about winning the ballot in January, I was shocked. Never had I dream about winning the ballot, what more running at one of the the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

The Expo

I took a 15 hour flight from Malaysia and arrived Berlin on a Friday, 14th Sept, two days before the race. Amie who was already on a solo backpack travel met up with me that morning and we headed to the Race Expo.

There were many exhibits at the entrance; safety cars, displays of the medals from 6 major marathons, list of runners who have raced in the 6 major marathons and many more. I managed to scribble my name on a small spot.

Hijabi Finishers at the BMW Berlin Marathon 2018

Malaysian Finishers at the BMW Berlin Marathon 2018

Zamzamiah did her personal best!

The Race Band, the Medal

The cute Adidas cup

The entrance of Race Expo

BMW Berlin Marathon Expo

A drive by Adidas to reduce plastic cup use

The medal for abbott world marathon majors six star finishers

The medals of the six major Abbot marathons

Malaysian runners who are Abbott world marathon majors six star finishers

As we walked further, there was a checkpoint for runners. A few volunteers were providing race bands for runners. As we walked in further, we saw many booths of merchandisers and running organisers, mostly from Europe. The booth to pick up the race kit was at the very end but there was no queue. We were given our race number and timing chip swiftly.The queue to pick up pre-order finisher tee was already long and we waited patiently for about 30 minutes.

The Adidas booth was always full. Runners and visitors were busy purchasing the event tee. It was selling like hot cakes for Euro30 each. We came back to get more the day after and they were already gone. So do your shopping early if you see a good bargain. We picked up the adidas drinking cup that we could use for the race – in support of their effort to reduce plastic use.

Outside of the booth area were more car display, BMW hot-air balloons and an old plane.

The Race

On the race day, which was two days after, we took the train to the race area at 7:30am. The crowd started to build up. The flag off was done in 3 waves ; 9:15am, 9:30am and 10am.

At the start line, everyone was bumped up by the music. As the minutes get closer to the 10am flag off, some just loose their sweaters on the streets and dash.

It was a perfect day to run. The sun was out and the weather was simply beautiful.

The routes were nice and flat. I loved checking out the city on foot and enjoyed the crowd cheering and playing music along the way. I think there were close to a dozen of performers playing music along the way and outside of cafes. At 1pm we were told about the new world record set by Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge at 2:01:39.

Putting on the Race Band at Expo

The main Expo Hall

The Route

All excited to start

More Halls

Scribble your name on it

There were many volunteers providing peeled and cut bananas & apples at designated water stations and later ultra sports energy gels. You can choose to fuel up with water, hot tea and energy drink.

I was happy to be able to finish the 42.195km run with more than 40,000 other runners and receive the medal for my son. It was my worst timing, but I was grateful. I wasn’t in my best state of health.